Duo Lingo

[edge]

Started Spanish but hit a brick wall, when it turned into more spelling type exercises.
I am dyslexic so struggle with English never mind Spanish,
so had absolutely no chance of of going further found it so frustrating.
Shame as I was enjoying learning the language.

 

[varnish]

1304 day streak currently and topped the diamond league once. Should really consider paying for it at some point.

 

[bicycleheader]

I moved to Barcelona 13yr ago and it took me a good two years before I was properly using my Spanish. Am fluent now.

I didn’t take any classes. I started with Rosetta Stone and used duo lingo on and off but for the grammar always used https://studyspanish.com/grammar . For me it breaks up the grammar into very small parts and even without paying subs you can take a mini test after each section to gauge if you are taking it in properly.

This was my main way of building up my knowledge and also used a whiteboard to add shorthand notes of lots of different info such as verb conjugations or words around a theme. Id update it every week and found the visual aid of seeing my notes each day very helpful.

Vocabulary can be quickly built up if you spot a lot of the patterns as you can guess at a lot of words. As an example words ending in -ated will often have the same started as in English but will end in -ado or -ada. So educated becomes educado/a. spotting a lot of these patterns helped me move up levels fast when I finally started using my Spanish regularly. To this day I will be able to guess when using a word I’ve not used before and a lot of the time it will be correct.

Conversation is the only way you will really move forward though. Never tried it myself but a guy I know here told me he has conversations with Chat GPT to get practice.

 

[Bishop Thumpety-Thump]

1304 day streak currently and topped the diamond league once. Should really consider paying for it at some point.

My missus starting subscribing and we have a family plan now, defo worth it imo. I’ve also begun weekly French lessons with an 80 year old from Provence which helps massively. Although she’s very formal in her approach, it’s like being back at school!

 

[Bedfordblue]

Did German at school for a bit, only thing I can remember (other then the usual tourist phrases, for beer or please / thank you) is ‘Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte’
Which means Black Forrest Gateaux.

I’m yet to find a use for this , which essentially confirms my belief that learning a foreign language is pointless and they should all just improve their English.

I don’t even like Black Forrest Gateaux ffs.

 

[anjelikaferrett]

Started learning Italian in lockdown. Then Carlo left us..... I recently spent a week in Dublin so decided to have a ho at learning Irish. I've also picked up the Italian again because of that

 

[Bedwas Toffee]

Yeah I’ve been learning Italian with it . Handy tool for keeping my hand in. My daughter absolutely loves it too. She’s studying German & Japanese. If she’s going to use a screen at least she’ll be learning something!

 

[marnie]

I've lived in Greece for Donkeys years.They all think I am sound and my Greek is basic.It's all about how you are with people. x

 

[heatmeiser]

I've lived in Greece for Donkeys years.They all think I am sound and my Greek is basic.It's all about how you are with people. x

I've got a 763 streak learning Greek. I think it took me half of that just to learn the alphabet

Amazing language but I can't imagine ever being conversational. I bet yours is way way better than you realise

 

[Rita_Poon]

I've not completed English yet, this all seems like showboating...

 

[Bishop Thumpety-Thump]

I've lived in Greece for Donkeys years.They all think I am sound and my Greek is basic.It's all about how you are with people. x

Yeah you're right, it's all about having a go. I make a point of learning please/thank you/hello/goodbye for wherever I go and it definitely makes a difference.

 

[marnie]

I've got a 763 streak learning Greek. I think it took me half of that just to learn the alphabet

Amazing language but I can't imagine ever being conversational. I bet yours is way way better than you realise

Mate the alphabet is easily learnt by elimination.You just read a Greek football coupon for a week or 2 before putting a bet on . xxx

 

[longers]

I got an A in GSCE French and the only thing I remember is 'J'aime le fromage'

 

[Bkk Andy]

I have a Spanish score of 113 according to Duolingo. I can read a bit, say less and understand nothing. If you can't practice with real people in real situations you'll never learn the language well.

 

[bicycleheader]

I have a Spanish score of 113 according to Duolingo. I can read a bit, say less and understand nothing. If you can't practice with real people in real situations you'll never learn the language well.

I was learning it for two years then hung out with people who had very little English and within a month I was at a comfortable level. Huge change. All that knowledge was just waiting to be used